The Kaduna State Fire Service said an inferno that occurred in the early hours of Friday, January 13, 2023, killed one Mohammadu Sani, his wife, Raulatu Sani, his eight-year-old son, Hashim Sani, and an infant, Fatima Sani.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reported that the Commander of the service in charge of Zaria Zone, Mohammad Umar, made this known in an interview with journalists in Zaria on Friday.
Umar said the incident occurred at around 1am on Hajiya Maituwo Street, Low-Cost Area Zaria in Zaria Local Government Area of the state.
He added that the fire service was called after the inferno had destroyed a substantial part of the house.
However, Umar added that the timely intervention of the fire service curtailed the spread of the inferno to neighbouring houses in the area.
An eyewitness, Mallam Safiyanu Aliyu told NAN that the late Sani was an Imam at one of the Mosques on Buhari Street, Low Cost, Zaria.
Aliyu, who did not mention the cause of the fire, said they heard a distress call from members of a vigilance group guarding the area.
He added that by the time they came out for assistance, it was discovered that the fire had destroyed the apartment where the family resided.
He said the remains of the victims were taken to their family house in the Dogarawa in the Sabon Gari LGA for burial.
Tragic Mystery: Ogun Couple Dies In House Fire After Returning From Cross-Over Service
Persons suspected to be arsonists on Sunday, January 1, 2023, set a couple ablaze shortly after they returned from Cross over service in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
The sad incident, which occurred at the couple’s private residence, located at Government Reservation Area, GRA, Ibara in Abeokuta, had attracted many sympathizers.
The suspected arsonists believed to have trailed the couple to their private residence before setting the house ablaze were also reported to have whisked away the son of the victims.
A source at the residence of the deceased told journalists that, the suspected arsonists were reported to have kidnapped the son alongside the housemaid, and thrown them into a river along the Adigbe-Obada axis of the town.
It was reliably gathered that the husband, Kehinde Fatinoye was a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, while the wife, Bukola before her gruesome death was a staff of the Federal University of Agriculture, FUNNAB, Abeokuta
The victims were burnt beyond recognition with their remains later packed by policemen and other health officials at the scene, and driven to the hospital in an ambulance, while hundreds of sympathizers at the house were seen crying over the sad development.
It was also gathered that number of church members of the couple who rushed to the house shortly after the spread of the news, confirmed that they held the crossover service together at a church located in Okejigbo area of Abeokuta.
The sympathizers from the church said they could not believe their ears on hearing the ugly development, saying they suspect that the arsonists might have trailed the couple to their home to carry out the callous crime
A cousin of the late Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, official, Ambrose Somide who confirmed the sad incident, said, he could not explain what might be behind the dastard development.
Meanwhile, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Prof. Olusola Babatunde Kehinde has paid a condolence visit to the Ibara GRA, Abeokuta private residence of a Fatinoyes, who was set ablaze by suspected arsonists after returning home from Cross-Over Service in the early hours of today.
Prof. Kehinde described the death of Mrs Fatinoye, a senior staff of the University, and her husband as gruesome and a rude shock to the University community, which came at a time when the dawn of a new year is being celebrated globally.
The Acting Vice Chancellor who was visibly disturbed and pale described Mrs Fatinoye as a committed staff, easy-going, and friendly.
Kehinde urged security agencies to as a matter of urgency unravel and bring perpetrators of the dastard act to justice as soon as possible.
He prayed to God to give the relations and the entire members of the University community that the deceased left behind the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Confirming the incident in a telephone conversation with Vanguard, the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi said it was a pure case of assassination.
He said, “when the couple were killed, their remains were equally set ablaze”.
“After the dastard act, the couple’s son and their housemaid were kidnapped and threw them into a river. Though the housemaid has been rescued alive, we are yet to see the son”.
While confirming that one person has been arrested in connection with the incident, Oyeyemi assured that those behind the dastard act would be arrested and brought to book.
He added that an investigation is in progress on the matter.
